Soli

This is an initiation rhythm, of which there are many versions.
Our favourite is known as
Soli Rapide, which we alternate with
Soli Boba. There is also a slow version called
Soli Lent, and yet another called
Soli Des Manians ("Soli of the Manian people") which has a
charming song which I'll maybe try to include here one day too.

Soli Rapide

>120bpm 12/8 1&a2&a3&a4&a ("One and-a Two and-a Three and-a Four and-a...")
Signal o.OO.OO.OO..
r rl r rl
Djembe 1 S.OS..S.OS.. ("Round the back, Round the back")
Djembe 2 S..SOOS..SOO ("fag, 'aving a fag, 'aving a")
r lrlr lrl
$
Bell 1 Easy x..x..x..x.. ("fag, 'aving a fag, 'aving a")
Bell 1 Alt. x.x...x.x... ("burning, London's burning, London's)
Bell 1 Hard x.x.xxx.x.xx ("burning, London's burning, London's)
Bell 1 Trad. .xx.xx.xx.xx (Traditional version with nothing on beat 1)
+Kenkeni ....KK....KK
$
Bell 2 x.x.x.x.xx.x
+Sangban G...g.g..G..
$
Bell 3 x.x.x.x.xx.x
+Dununba D.D.....DD.D ("Dun Duns... Let's play the")
(Count) 1&a2&a3&a4&a
Kenkeni Bell 1 Hard is only playable when slow, so when going faster play other
Kenkeni Bell 1 parts instead. But your goal should be to master the Traditional
version; it's seriously mesmeric when you get it, if you can get it! This leads
to a whole world of polyrhythmic nirvana, so it is well worth practising! Try
walking your feet in time: 1..2..3..4.. to have something to bounce off onto
the offbeat bell and drum notes.
The Dununba player comes in early, on the count of "and 4". Mamady's book says
the Sangban player comes in at the start, but it makes more sense and sounds
better to begin early with the Dununba, as their bell parts are identical.

Soli Boba

This version of Soli came from
Iya Sako via
Justine Hart, who composed this nice
Djembe Break to accompany the Dununba. At each call, we alternate from
Soli Rapide to Soli Boba then back again. The Kenkeni stays the
same throughout, but the Dununba and Sangban are different in Soli Boba.